Ashwaubenon's Mike Taylor won't work out at combine

Feb. 22, 2013

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INDIANAPOLIS – Mike Taylor’s on-field audition for NFL teams will have to wait.

The Wisconsin senior linebacker and Ashwaubenon native confirmed Friday he won’t be working out for teams at this week’s NFL scouting combine after recently undergoing surgery for a sports hernia.

The 6-foot-2, 222-pound linebacker recently wrapped up a decorated career with the Badgers for whom he started the past three seasons after battling injury early on.

Regarded for his natural athleticism and leadership with the Badgers, many draft experts have Taylor positioned him as a late-round selection or priority free agent because of his size and injury history.

Taylor arrived at Wisconsin after a noteworthy career at Ashwaubenon where he helped the Jaguars win a WIAA state football championship as a sophomore, along with individually winning a Division 1 state wrestling title as a senior at 215 pounds.

Taylor redshirted his freshman year because of neck surgery, but missed the latter half of his freshman season with a knee injury. He’s currently vying to become the first Ashwaubenon alumnus to play in the NFL since running back Aaron Stecker, who played in the league from 1999-2009.

He was one of four Badgers to be selected to the combine, but the only defensive player.